


It's My Party

by nerdcredred, Ocelot_l



Series: Lifetimes [49]
Category: Atop the Fourth Wall, That Guy with the Glasses/Channel Awesome
Genre: M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-19
Updated: 2016-07-19
Packaged: 2018-07-25 10:07:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7528573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdcredred/pseuds/nerdcredred, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ocelot_l/pseuds/Ocelot_l
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The team has always been known for being busy and getting absorbed in their own projects from time to time. But now it seems that they've forgotten about something truly important. Prompt #2 for the Kink Meme Fill-A-Thon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's My Party

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Secret Treehouse 2016 Kink Meme Fill-A-Thon. 
> 
> Lifetimes can also be found on my Dreamwidth at http://nerdcredred.dreamwidth.org/.
> 
> DISCLAIMER: We do not own the characters, the shows, or the people who portray the characters. These stories are meant as a work of fiction and are fair use. Please support the creators by watching their videos, letting the ads play, buying their DVDs and merchandise, and/or contributing to their Patreon(s). "It's My Party" is performed by Lesley Gore.

Linkara adjusted his mirrors, buckled his seatbelt, and flipped on the radio to his favorite oldies station, which earned an annoyed grunt from his travel companion.

"Awww, dude, come on. Let's blast some totally righteous tunes!"

Thanks to the teleporters being down for maintenance, Linkara was stuck with the thankless task of driving his teammates around for the day, which mostly meant he was a courier for 90s Kid. He rolled his eyes and smacked the teen's hand away from the knob.

"When you drive, you can pick the station."

90s Kid let out a huff and folded his arms. "Fine."

Linkara chuckled and lowered the volume a tad before glancing over at his passenger. "So, any big plans for the mall today?"

90s Kid cheered up as he patted the bulging pockets of his flannel jacket. "For sure, dude! Today's the day I'm totally getting the high score on Area 51! I've been saving these quarters for months and I'm not leaving until my thumbs are blistered and my initials are the first thing you see on that screen! And after that, I'm treating myself to a victory pizza and all the soda I can drink!"

"Sounds like a fun day," Linkara said with a small smile. "As for me, I think I'll take a spin over tothe hardware store. My tool kit could use some replenishing."

"That's cool." There was a moment of silence, allowing the vocals of Lesley Gore to fill the car.

"Specifically I need some screwdrivers," Linkara added, glancing over to see if 90s Kid was listening. He was instead staring out the window.

"Uh huh."

"Phillips-head screwdrivers. I could use a set of all different sizes."

"Hope you can find 'em, dude."

Linkara sighed and turned his gaze back to the road.

The ride continued on in silence for the most part, aside from the sounds of 90s Kid bouncing around in his seat as he thought of how exciting his day would be. The teen never really had much luck holding still in cramped places such as cars.

"So, how does your schedule look for next weekend?" Linkara asked, casting yet another sideways glance at 90s Kid. "Do you have anything planned, or are things mostly open?"

90s Kid shrugged, feeling very fidgety as yet another old person song came onto the radio. "Next weekend? Dude, I have no idea. You see, I like to live in the moment, man, so I could have plans at literally anytime. Why?"

Linkara gripped the steering wheel a little tighter, turning his gaze out the window as he began to make answer. "Well-"

"Yay, we're here!" Linkara sighed as he pulled into the mall parking lot, circling around to the front of one of the entrances. He looked over and was startled to see that 90s Kid had already unclicked his seat belt and was leaping from the passenger seat before he had even rolled the car to a stop.

"90s Kid, be careful-"

"Thanks for the lift, dude! Gotta book it, see ya!" Linkara watched as 90s Kid gave a quick wave before bounding inside. Then he leaned over to close the door which had been completely forgotten in the teen's haste to escape and headed for the exit back to the highway, hoping for good luck with traffic on the journey home.

\-----

A day after his driving duties had ended, Linkara knocked on the door to Harvey's bedroom, hoping to spend an afternoon with his boyfriend, but when the door opened, he was surprised to find the normally cool singer red-faced and frowning.

"What are you trying to pull here?" he yelled into the phone clenched tightly in his right hand. It was black and out of style by about fifty years, but Harvey refused to have it updated."You told me it would cost $1500 to rent that bus not one week ago-what extra charges?" There was a pause in the conversation as Harvey listened impatiently to the man on the other end before his eyes bulged out and a vein in his temple started to throb. "Tire taxes? Wiper fluid fees?! Are you pulling my leg or do you think I was born yesterday?!" There was another pause before Harvey growled. "Oh yeah, you can consider this contract terminated, and don't ever expect me to hire any of the jokers from this sham of a company ever again!" Harvey slammed the phone back into its cradle and groaned before he sank down onto his bed.

Worried, Linkara quickly sat down beside him. "Harvey, are you okay? I haven't seen you worked up like this in a while."

"No, Kid, I am not okay." Harvey grabbed his electronic cigarette and jammed it between his lips, taking a very long drag before sighing. "I am trying to plan my fall tour and I am running into obstacles every step of the way. First, my opening act comes down with a case of mono, then I found out a few of my roadies have been banned from my favorite hotels, meaning I gotta find somewhere else to stay for two weeks, and now the damn bus company is trying to rip me off! I may like spending money, but I'm not some piggy bank open to all eager hands I come across!"

Linkara shook his head, very familiar with having to deal with shoddy help when it came to buying parts for his spaceship and other world-saving implements. "There's definitely no such thing as good help anymore."

Harvey huffed loudly, taking another long drag off his e-cigarette and letting a large cloud of vapor fill the room. "You're tellin' me. I remember when people would actually bother to keep track of what they promised to a cat yesterday over the phone instead of trying to gouge a man for all he's got. What's the world comin' to these days?"

Linkara leaned closer to Harvey and placed his hands on his shoulders, massaging them warmly in an attempt to help relieve some of his tension. "I know it's been rough, but you can't allow all this stress to build up inside you. It isn't healthy. Why don't you put the phone down for the rest of the day and try to focus on the more relaxing aspects of life. Like a special day which is fast approaching, as I recall," Linkara hinted gently, smiling as Harvey sighed and leaned back against him for a moment.

"Oh, don't worry, Kid. I'll be a whole new Harvey once I don't have to worry about getting this tour in order. Why did I have to schedule a month of shows while my manager was on vacation? I really need an assistant," he groaned.

"I'd volunteer Pollo, but I have a feeling he wouldn't be as eager to argue with the tour bus company as you are," Linkara joked.

Harvey's lips curved into a half-smile and he was about to crack a joke when his ancient phone let out a clamor so loud that it should have woken up anyone within a half-mile radius of the apartment. "Hello?" Harvey's eyes quickly flew wide open in rage. "Whattaya MEAN you booked the Ritz for Thursday! What's the problem? What's the problem? How about the fact that we'll be in the NEXT TOWN OVER THAT NIGHT?!"

Since Harvey seemed to be occupied for the foreseeable future, Linkara quietly slipped out of his room and down to the kitchen, where he prepared a pot of tea and poured a cup for Harvey. The singer smiled when Linkara placed it on his nightstand, along with a plate of butter cookies. If Harvey was going to be screaming for the rest of the night, he might as well take some precautions to protect those golden pipes.

\-----

A few days later, Linkara found himself serving as a make-shift nurse by handing tools to and wiping sweat from the brow of a tense and highly focused. Linksano.

"Wrench?"

"Here it is."

"Laser screwdriver?"

"On it."

"Bolts?"

"Right away, doctor. But do you think the patient will make it?"

Linksano turned his head away from the pile of broken metal and glass lying before him to scowl at the other man. "That is not funny! I'm already restraining myself from vaporizing 90s Kid's skateboard in retaliation for the damage he's caused me and I do not want to add you to my current enemies list as well!"

“Sorry, sorry, I was just trying to lighten the mood," Linkara said, trying hard not to smile at Linksano's intense approach to repairing his telescope. "Here, this will cheer you up." Linkara lifted one of the chocolate peanut butter cookies from the plate resting on the counter next to him and slid it into Linksano's mouth. The scientist's scowl quickly became a smile as he chewed on the treat.

"Delicious. Thank you, Linkara, that's just what I needed."

Pleased with his success, Linkara felt to try one himself. "Mmm, this is so good," he said, wiping a few crumbs from his chin. "Did Boffo make these for you?" 

"Yes, he always knows just the thing to do to cheer me up when I'm feeling down," Linksano replied, sounding much happier now.

"Chocolate and peanut butter could cheer up anyone," Linkara agreed. "Those flavors blend together so perfectly, in cookies and brownies and even cakes. Speaking of cakes, I've always loved chocolate best. I also have a soft spot for Funfetti cakes. You know, the ones with the rainbow sprinkles? I've also never turned down a good ice-cream cake."

"Linkara, why are you chattering away about cakes?" Linksano asked in confusion. "It's very distracting, you know."

Linkara shrugged, trying not to look as disappointed as he felt. "Sorry, didn't mean to take your mind off your work. I guess I just get carried away with desserts sometimes."

"Really? Well, I suppose I can't blame you. We all go a little dessert-crazy whenever Boffo makes a batch of these," Linksano replied, popping another cookie into his mouth.

"Not what I meant," Linkara muttered under his breath, but Linksano was already holding his hand out for another instrument.

"Tweezers."

Linkara slid the instrument into his hand before waiting for his next instruction. Instead of barking another order, Linksano turned to him and clasped his hands together."Alright, I've reconstructed the basic structure of the telescope, so all I need to do now is replace the lens and make a few minor adjustments. I can accomplish that without assistance, so you're free to go."

"Oh." Linkara stood up and adjusted his vest. "Okay then. Good luck with your telescope, Linksano."

"I don't need luck! I have SCIENCE!" Linksano exclaimed without even a pause in his actions.

Linkara rolled his eyes and nodded. "I know, I know. So, uh, do you think you'll have it done by Friday?" he wondered, trying to look as casual as possible. "I wouldn’t want you to miss out because you're working."He felt relieved when Linksano grinned at him in response, but it vanished just as quickly.

"I couldn't agree more, Linkara! There's going to be a crystal clear view of Jupiter this coming weekend and I fully intend to see the eternal storm with my own eyes!"

"Of course," Linkara said, shaking his head before he laughed. Once Linksano had something on his mind, almost nothing could distract him from it.

\-----

Two days later, Linkara, who should have been on his way to meet his family, found himself instead flipping through the pages of his Grimoire while an agitated Ninja-Style Dancer paced in front of him.

"Would you stop moving around so much?" he finally asked, looking up from his book. "It's really distracting."

Ninja stopped and held up a card covered in Japanese kanji symbols and several exclamation marks. The dancer had been unwittingly struck by a blast of magic during one of his solo missions which had resulted in him losing the ability to write, and presumably speak, in anything but his native language.

"I know you're upset, but you have to calm down. Pacing around is not going to help me find the counter-spell any faster."

Ninja held up another card covered in even more exclamation marks and Linkara had to resist the urge to grab the paper from his hands and rip it to shreds.

"Linkara, I need your help."

"Kinda busy here, Pollo." This didn't deter the robot at all as he floated over to land on Linkara's knee. Linkara glanced up from his book and was surprised to find two small neckties, one red and one sparkly gold, attached to the front of Pollo's chest. "What are those?"

"Magnets. I am meeting with Burton tonight and I want to look dignified but human clothing just looks silly on me."

"I can have Linksano try to whip up something for you if you'll just give me some time," Linkara suggested, knowing that the longer Ninja had to wait for help, the more restless he'd become.

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm running short on time as it is. Burton does not like to be kept waiting. So, which one suits me better?"

"The red one. It matches your eye."

Pollo started hovering in circles. "I knew you'd say that, but don't you think it's a bit of a cliché? I'm always worried that I'm coming off as boring. What if Burton loses interest?"

Linkara lowered his book. "Pollo, I'm sure that isn't true. And how could you ever think you're boring?"

Ninja, looking incensed that Linkara was actually taking time to engage in this conversation, thrust a card filled with bright red markings directly in front of his eyes before glaring daggers at him.

"Here," Linkara said, pulling his DS from his pocket and tossing it to the Ninja. "Pokémon is always the solution to calming an unsettled mind. Fight some battles or do some wonder-trading, whatever you like best. Just give me some space here to help Pollo and then I'll be right back to your problem, okay?"

Ninja rolled his eyes but eventually settled into chair near the door and began to play, allowing Linkara to turn back to Pollo. "Pollo, you help fight monsters every other month, you protect the world from evils of all kind, and you are second in command of an extremely powerful spaceship. There is nothing boring about your life and if Burton can't see that, there's someone else out there who will."

"Thanks, Linkara. I know I'm just being silly. Burton cares for me just as I am. I don't need to try and impress him like this." Pollo landed on Linkara's knee again. "Would you take the gold magnet off?"

"Certainly," Linkara said, doing so with a smile.

"Actually, no, put the gold one back on. Burton might think I've come into money lately."

"Truly yours is a relationship we can all admire," Linkara snarked as he reaffixed the gold magnet to the robot's chest and removed the red one.

"Thanks, Linkara. See you later."

"See you-wait!" Linkara cried, suddenly remembering. "Are you going to be back late tonight?"

"Now, Linkara, that's a bit rude, don't you think?" Pollo asked in amusement. "I don't ask about when you and Harvey are expected to be back from a date, do I?"

"No, but..." Linkara trailed off and sighed. "Have fun."

"I always do."

Trying not to focus too much on what had just happened, Linkara returned his attention to the Grimoire and within ten minutes was able to find and cast the correct charm onto the ninja.

*Did it work?* Ninja held up before glancing down at the card nervously. *It did! Linkara, I can't thank you enough! It's been three days since I've been able to speak with someone in this country!*

"Don't mention it-ow" Linkara grunted as the Ninja clapped him on the back in a thankful manner. "And don't thank me either," he muttered, as he rubbed the sore spot. "Okay, since we got that problem solved, I guess I can finally head out to lunch."

Linkara collected his DS from Ninja and put his Grimoire away before moving to the middle of the living room and cupping his hands around his mouth.

"Did everyone hear that? I said I'm going out for the afternoon with my family now! We'll be gone for hours, leaving a perfectly stocked kitchen, a newly cleaned living room, and hall closets filled with wrapping paper and bows free for anyone who might want to use them!"

Satisfied with his announcement, Linkara slipped on his coat, grabbed his keys, and walked out the front door.

\-----

Linkara held his breath with anticipation as he slowly unlocked the door to his apartment that night, easing the door open slowly before clicking on a lightswitch. He stood in place for a few seconds before closing the door and tossing his keys on the table, throwing his coat over the couch, trying to make himself known.

"I'm home!" he called out, his voice slightly echoing in the stillness of the room. "I'm finished with all the things I had to do today! I'll be in here with nothing to do for the foreseeable future!" Linkara walked into the kitchen, his eyes darting here and there about the room, looking for signs of occupancy.

Nobody seemed to be home, or if they were, nobody seemed willing to leave their bedrooms. But Linkara could wait. He flipped on the kitchen light, pulled put out his DS, sat down at the table, changed the settings from Japanese back to English, and waited. And waited. And waited. An hour later, he turned off his system and sighed.

"I guess there's no surprise party." His stomach rumbling, Linkara made his way to the fridge, pulling out some cold chicken and a bottle of soda before returning to the table. He was munching on a wing when the front door to the apartment opened and Boffo appeared inside, a small, pink box in his hands. He hung up his coat before noticing Linkara at the table, which spurred him right over to the man's side.

 _You're still up! I'm so glad I could see you before the night was over! I'm sorry to be so late, but I had a prior engagement that ran long. Imagine it being on today of all days,_ he said with a silent chuckle. _Anyway, this is for you, Linkara._

Boffo set the pink box down before him, watching eagerly as Linkara lifted the lid and peered inside. A thick slice of chocolate cake decorated with green roses sat on a paper plate.

 _I hope you like it,_ Boffo said as Linkara continued to gaze down at it. _The bakery I got it from usually has a waiting list, but I managed to pull some strings and snag this slice. It's chocolate-mint flavored, which I believe is one of your favorites?_

"You are correct," Linkara said, smiling softly at the clown. "Thanks, Boffo. This is the best present I've gotten all day."

Boffo's expression grew surprised. _Really?_

"Yep." Linkara closed the box and stood up before carrying it over to the refrigerator. "Do you mind if I save this for later? I'm...not exactly hungry right now," he said, not meeting Boffo's eyes. Boffo glanced from Linkara to the plate of cold, half-eaten chicken, before his eyebrows knit together.

_Linkara...has anybody else been home tonight?_

"Nope." Linkara smiled sadly. "I guess there wasn't any reason for them to be. Well, good night." With that, Linkara picked up his plate of chicken and his soda before disappearing up the stairs and into his bedroom, leaving a crushed Boffo scrambling for his cell phone.

The clown's fingers moved swiftly as he added the entire team to a group message and began to text.

 _Everyone, this is Boffo. I need all of you, inside the base or out, to come home immediately! There's been a great misunderstanding that we must fix!_ Thankfully he only had to wait a few seconds before the first reply came.

*Boffo! Can you read my text messages?*

_Yes, I can. You must come home right away!_

*Boffo, you would not BELIEVE the day I've had! That cursed magic spell had me unable to even text people what I was saying in English!*

Boffo's phone buzzed once again. _I'll be right down, Boffo-dude! I just gotta put the finishing touches on this gnarly gun that shoots sugar packets!_ 90s Kid sent this one, along with several gun-related emojis that Boffo didn't know existed.

_It can wait, 90s Kid! All of you get down here now before I come and find you all!_

Boffo frowned as another text arrived. _Geez, Chuckles, can this wait? I only got off the phone an hour ago and I was trying to catch some much needed shut-eye._

 _I assure you, you will regret missing this._ Boffo replied before shutting off his phone. He refused to correspond with anyone else until they were standing directly in front of him. Fortunately he did not have to wait long, as Ninja and Linksano teleported into the kitchen moments later, while 90s Kid and Harvey came downstairs not long after.

"What's up, dude?" 90s Kid wondered before his expression turned hopeful. "Are we all going out to a midnight movie?"

*Or perhaps a midnight dance party?* Ninja asked, looking hopeful as well.

"I already told you, I'm trying to get some shut eye," Harvey grumbled as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "I'm in no mood to leave this apartment anytime soon."

"Sorry I'm late, but there had better be a good reason for calling me home." Pollo hovered over to the kitchen table. "Burton and I were in the middle of some very important interfacing."

"No one wants to hear about your love life, Pollo!" Linksano snapped.

 _Would you all just stop and listen?!_ Boffo stomped his foot so hard that the kitchen windows rattled. Everyone fell silent and turned to the clown in shock. _Has every single one of you really forgotten what day it is?_

"Uh...Friday?" 90s Kid ventured.

_No! Today is Linkara's birthday! And you all forgot about it._

"What? It's not the Kid's birthday," Harvey replied with absolute certainty.

"I thought his birthday was in March," 90s Kid replied, scratching his head in confusion.

"Then why wouldn't we have celebrated it in March?" Pollo asked.

90s Kid frowned. "Huh, good point."

"I'm telling you you're wrong." Harvey reached into his suit and pulled out a small datebook, quickly flipping through the pages. "I've got it written down right here. The Kid's birthday is on the 19th."

Boffo stared at him sadly. _Harvey, we're twelve minutes into the 20th._

"No, no, that can't be right," Harvey muttered, shaking his head in fervent disbelief as he flipped through his book again. "It can't have been today because I scheduled a meeting with the caterers for the morning of his birthday, and I haven't seen them yet...because they called last week to reschedule for next week..." Harvey trailed off as he stared at his own handwriting before his expression crumpled. "Oh my God...it was today...it was today and I missed it... I missed his birthday..." The datebook fell to the floor as he buried his face into his hands. "How could I do this to him?"

"It's our fault too," 90s Kid moaned as he clutched the singer's arm. His expression had also fallen and he looked on the verge of tears. "We were all so totally busy that we, like, forgot him...we forgot a-about Linkara...h-how could we d-do that..."

"I can't believe it. I overwrote the note on my internal calendar for his birthday with one about my evening out with Burton." The small exhaust fans on Pollo's body sent out clouds of dust, the equivalent of a human sigh. "I'm the one most equipped to remember his birthday and I couldn't even accomplish that one simple task. What kind of a friend am I?"

"It's not as if we did it on purpose," Linksano said, wringing his hands together anxiously. "With so many of us living here, and so many dates and appointments to remember, the odds were in favor of us forgetting about one of them."

*That's still no excuse.* Ninja hung his head in shame. *We have committed a truly unforgivable crime and we must be punished accordingly. I must leave to atone now.*

 _No you don't!_ Ninja looked over in shock as Boffo grabbed his arm and refused to let go. _Feeling bad about the situation will not help Linkara feel better. What will help him feel better is figuring out what we can do to make this up to him._ Boffo's eyes sparkled as he gestured for everyone to take a seat around the table. He was the first to sit and pulled out a small notepad and a bright purple pen. _I think we have a lot of planning to do, and little time to do it, so let's get started right now._

\-----

Linkara curled up into a tight ball under his blankets, trying to cling to sleep for as long as possible. He didn't want to get out of bed in spite of it being the early afternoon, since the disappointment of yesterday was still weighing heavily on his mind. Linkara hadn't expected it to crush him this much; even in the face of defeat he had still managed to get out of bed and at least get through his day, but today he didn't think he could face it. He knew that everyone on his team had their own lives to live, their own schedules and responsibilities, but despite how busy they could all be, he didn't expect them to forget his own birthday.

While his tired mind and heavy heart wanted to remain wrapped in the gloom of his bed for the remainder of the day, his stomach was making such a loud clamor for food that he knew he had no choice but to attend to it. Linkara sighed and slowly dragged himself out from under his blanket nest, rubbing his eyes and slinking out his bedroom door. Maybe if he managed to do this quick enough he could return to his room before anyone noticed.

However, Linkara ended up getting the shock of his life when he heard a chorus of voices and honks as soon as he reached the bottom of the stairs.

"SURPRISE!"

"W-what?" Linkara rubbed his eyes and shook his head as he gazed around the apartment. Colorful streamers and banners adorned the walls and ceiling; two long tables were laid out in the center of the living room, one loaded with sandwiches and baked goods and chips and all sorts of junk food, the other piled high with gifts; there was even a karaoke system set up and bubble machine sending beautiful shiny orbs of soap throughout the room. Linkara started wondering if he were actually in the middle of a dream, but before he knew it he was being so tightly embraced by 90s Kid that his ribs were starting to hurt, instantly dispelling the thought.

"Happy birthday, dude!" the teen cried as he squeezed Linkara even tighter. "I know it's a day late and I'm so totally sorry about that! I never meant to forget, I swear dude!"

"None of us did," Linksano added as he began prying 90s Kid off of Linkara. "90s Kid, he's not going to be able to breathe if you keep that up much longer."

'I'm sorry!" 90s Kid cried, releasing Linkara at once.

Linkara huffed for a moment, rubbing his aching sides, before he forced a smile. "Hey, guys, it's okay. You didn't have to do this."

*Yes we did* Ninja said, somehow retaining his stoic look in spite of the pink, sparkly party hat tied to his head. *We were horrified when we realized what we had done. Please allow us to throw you a party so magnificent that it will be remembered fondly by all for years to come.*

Linkara turned his gaze to Boffo. "Did you put them up to this?"

 _Yes I did,_ Boffo answered confidently. _No one deserves to have their birthday forgotten, let alone someone as wonderful as you, Linkara. We all care about you very much._

"We really do!" 90s Kid exclaimed, on the verge of hugging Linkara again; luckily, Linksano was still holding tightly to him. "We know we were busy with junk but that's our fault, not yours! Please let us do this for you, dude! We'll never forgive ourselves if we can't party down with you!"

Linkara was about to protest further when he felt a warm hand on his shoulder. He looked over to Harvey and felt his chest ache when he saw the pain and regret in the singer's eyes. "Come on, Kid. You were never one to turn down a party, right?"

Linkara turned back to all the anxious, pleading faces looking at him and realized that they truly did regret their mistake, which caused his body to flood with a relief and happiness that he didn't know was possible. "Aw, what the hell. You've convinced me. Lemme go get changed." Linkara's smile only grew at the ensuing cheer this remark caused and he hurried up the stairs to get into some actual clothes.

"Okay, I guess the party can officially start!" Linkara announced as he re-appeared downstairs, where he was glomped by 90s Kid yet again, though not hard enough to cut off circulation this time.

"We really are totally sorry for forgetting, dude! I totally want you to have as great a birthday as the one you threw for me before," 90s Kid murmured shyly, though he smiled when Linkara squeezed back.

"I'm sure I will, 90s Kid, because you all threw it for me."

The party lasted all afternoon and well into the evening, but no one seemed to mind at all, least of all Linkara. He ate, and sang, and ate, and danced, and ate, and opened presents, and sang, until he was about ready to collapse. Ninja and Linksano thoughtfully helped him to the couch before this could happen, and Linkara thanked them heartily.

"Well, since the evening is about over, let's end things with a toast," Harvey announced, appearing suddenly with a bottle of champagne. He poured out six glasses, along with a glass of oil for Pollo, before handing them out.

90s Kid looked down at his in amazement. "I get one too?"

"Well, since it's a special occasion, I'm letting it slide for tonight," Harvey said with a wink.

"You sure that's a good idea?" Linkara muttered once the singer settled down on the couch beside him, recalling the last time 90s Kid had tried alcohol.

"Don't worry, his is only half-full and mixed with chocolate milk," Harvey replied. The singer cleared his throat then.

"So, who'd like to be the first to toast our birthday boy?"

"I will." Pollo hovered over to land on Linkara's shoulder. "I couldn't have asked to be created by a better person than you, Linkara. I admire you so much because you work hard every day of the year with barely a moment to rest and you always go out of your way to help when someone is in need. You've also treated me more kindly than any other human I've met and made sure I've always felt like an appreciated member of this team. Thanks for being a great boss and an even greater friend. I'd clink glasses with you now, but... you know..."

"Yes, yes, and you're never going to let that drop I suppose," Linkara said with a roll of his eyes before he smiled and helped Pollo imbibe the oil. "At any rate, thank you, Pollo. You have always been a great friend to me as well."

"So, who's next?" the robot wondered.

 _I'll go!_ Boffo honked, raising his glass and offering his best smile to Linkara. _I still remember how happy I was when you asked me to live here, Linkara. I was living by myself at the time and as someone who loves to be surrounded by people, I always found it very lonely. But now I almost never find myself lonely as long as you all are around. You've been the kindest and most wonderful boss I've ever had, but I don't see you as a boss. I see you as one of my closest friends, and I hope you had a wonderful birthday. That's why I'd like to toast to friendship!_

Everyone gladly lifted their glasses to that and Linkara made sure to clink his with Boffo's before he sipped it, feeling his happiness rise even higher. "Thank you, Boffo. Make sure not to flatter me too much, I may rise to the ceiling with the balloons," Linkara joked.

"So, who's next to stroke the Kid's ego?" Harvey asked, looking to the others expectantly.

"I'll take a crack at it," Linksano said as he turned to face Linkara. " I'd like to toast to getting lost. You see, I've traveled quite a lot in my life and stayed in all sorts of places, from tiny huts on desolate plains, to a lavish palace able to hold over a thousand people, to an average suburban home in a little known Canadian town, but of all those domiciles, this is the place where I feel most at home."

Linkara's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Linksano, you... you really feel that way?"

Linksano nodded and approached the couch. "I never planned to come to this world. I had an escape route planned out as I fled from Vyce, but somehow, along the way, I got lost and ended up here. While this may not be my original world, after all these years it's come to feel like the place I belong. I found friends here, I found a steady job, a way to maintain my sanity, and someone to love..." He paused to smile at Boffo, who beamed back at him. "I found a purpose for living once you hired me, Linkara, and for that I'll never be able to thank you enough. So I'm toasting to getting lost-the best mistake I've ever made in my life!"

Linkara could feel his eyes about to water up so he quickly downed the rest of his champagne before pouring another glass. "I want to hear more about that palace one day," he said in a teasing voice.

"I was thrown out once they found me, but it was worth it!" Linksano replied with a cackle.

*Allow me to go next.* Instead of clinking his glass against Linkara's, Ninja set it down and handed his notecards to Boffo before he bent down and clasped Linkara's hands within his own. *Linksano is not the only one who found a renewed purpose in life thanks to you. Your kindness and generosity have meant the world to me, Linkara. I cannot begin to express my sorrow over treating you in such a thoughtless manner.*

"Ninja, please, it's really not a big deal," Linkara tried to say, but Ninja squeezed his hands and he fell silent.

*It is to me. I am honored to be considered not only a part of this team, but one of your closest friends, and I will personally ensure that every birthday after this will be a joyous and memorable occasion. That's why I will toast to your limitless capacity for forgiveness and generosity, Linkara.*

"Aw geez, you guys are really getting sappy," Linkara teased, once again trying to keep his emotions from spilling out. "I'm loving all these compliments, but let's try and lighten things up. It is still a party, right?"

"Yeah, c'mon, guys!" 90s Kid agreed, lifting his glass of milk and almost sloshing some onto the carpet; thankfully caught himself in time. "It's totally a party, so who needs a bunch of mushy emotional crud to mess it up?"

*Excuse me for trying to add some heartfelt emotions into the affair* Ninja held up, though it was clear to everyone that he was only joking.

90s Kid laughed and then turned his attention to Linkara, the widest of grins on his face lighting up the room even more than it was. "Happy birthday, dude! You are totally the coolest boss and the coolest friend ever! I've never had a more radical time in my life than when I've been here! Here I get to work on all your gnarly weapons, and be on your show, and just get to hang out with you and stuff," 90s Kid rambled, his voice growing quicker all of a sudden. "And it's totally awesome to know that because of you we, like, all get to live together, and talk about junk, and help each other when we feel sad or scared, and be like a-well, y-you know! Happy birthday and stuff, Linkara!" 90s Kid finished his toast hastily, taking a sip of his drink and trying to compose himself, feeling quite close to getting all weird and goopy like the others, though Linkara got the full message that he needed to hear.

"I think all that stuff is totally awesome too," Linkara agreed as he took another sip from his cup. "I hope you continue to interrupt my show and remind me of everything the 90s had to offer for a long time to come."

"You know it!" 90s Kid agreed, his demeanor much brighter now. "Hey, Harvey-dude, can I get any more of that champagne?"

"Say, don't we have Yoo Hoo in the fridge?" Linkara wondered aloud.

"We do? Duuudes, never mind the champagne!" Linkara and Harvey shared a relieved smile when 90s Kid returned with a bottle of the chocolate drink before Harvey cleared his throat.

"Alright, I know this was my idea but I don't want to drag this out too long. My toast will be to all my favorite seconds in life."

"Seconds?" 90s Kid wondered.

"Yep," Harvey answered. "I've come to realize I like them more than firsts at times. Second helpings during dinner or dessert; second winds during particularly fun activities; second natures, which some claim my Pokémon-catching skills to be-"

"Second-hand stores?" 90s Kid offered, finally getting it.

Harvey smiled and nodded at him. "There are so many seconds in life, but not many people appreciate them. I never would be where I am now if I hadn't been given a second chance, and I never would have gotten that without the help of you, Linkara. You were the second person I've ever entrusted my heart to... and the only person I want to be with for the rest of my life."

Linkara's eyes filled with tears as he clinked glasses with the singer. "Thanks, Harvey."

"Happy birthday, Kid."

\-----

Late that evening, after the team had said goodnight and retired to their bedrooms, Linkara was about ready to turn in as well when he received a text from Harvey asking if he could come into the kitchen. Confused about this odd request, Linkara stepped into the darkened room right away, on the look-out for trouble. Instead he found Harvey sitting atop the kitchen table, a small birthday cake covered with unlit candles sitting before him.

"What's all this?" Linkara asked in amusement as he tried to make sense of the scene.

Harvey flashed him a sheepish grin. "I, uh, used the computer to find ideas on how to make a birthday more romantic and this was the best I could find. I didn't really get it, but I rarely do get these modern movies you kids like."

Linkara slid onto the end of the table, praying their combined weight would not be too much for it. "Harvey, you didn't have to do this. You already threw me a wonderful party tonight."

"Of course I did. I had to do something special for you after I completely forgot about you." Harvey's face dropped once again and he looked down. "I'm the one person who's never supposed to hurt you and I go and do a dumb thing like this. I don't know why you put up with an old fool like me sometimes."

Linkara reached out and gently took Harvey's hands. "I know you didn't mean to hurt me, Harvey. We all make mistakes, so stop kicking yourself for this. And stop putting yourself down like that, because I will not stand for anyone hurting the man I love-not even the man I love!"

Harvey let out a low chuckle and lifted his head to meet Linkara's eyes. "So, you forgive me?"

"I forgive you." They leaned forward to share a kiss before Harvey pulled out his lighter and lit the candles, casting a pleasant glow over the room.

"Care to make a wish, sweetheart?"

Linkara smiled and rubbed his thumbs across Harvey's knuckles. "After a party like that, I don't think there's anything else I could wish for right now. Well, except for some cake." He bent down and swiftly blew out all the candles, watching eagerly as Harvey sliced a piece of the cake for both of them, each rich with chocolate and thick with meringue frosting. "Mmm, this is so good," Linkara moaned as he took a bite.

"It's been too long since I've had a nice piece of chocolate cake." Harvey nodded in agreement, enjoying the taste upon his tongue immensely. "I knew that baker Chuckles recommended wouldn't steer me wrong. This'll make a sweet end to a sweet birthday."

Linkara smiled over at him coyly. "Well, I wouldn't call it the sweetest ending we could have," he purred. "I'm sure there's some things we have left to unwrap, if you'd oblige me."

Harvey grinned and quickly wiped the frosting from his lips. "I'd never let down the birthday boy for a second time."


End file.
